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Korin
Korin is an anthropomorphic cat who lives atop a giant tower. He is a wise cat who is over 800 years old and is a martial arts master. He is widely known to western audiences as Korin, a pun on corn, as opposed to his Japanese name, Karin. The name is derived from K'arin, the Japanese name for the Chinese quince. His tower, the "Korin Tower" (カリン塔 Karin-tō), is a play on a type of fried dough cake called "karinto" (花林糖 karintō), which fits the common theme of the characters being named after foods. Korin is a Senbyō (仙猫, immortal cat) and is at least 800 years old when introduced in Dragon Ball.[1] He is a deity who lives at the top of Korin Tower. The tower is located right underneath Kami's Lookout. It is a popular misconception to assume the tower and lookout are connected, however, as they are rarely shown together from a distance. Korin plays a large role in Dragon Ball when he trains Goku during the Red Ribbon Army Saga. At later points in the series, Korin lends his assistance periodically to Goku and the Z Fighters by lending Senzu Beans to aid them in their journeys. When Goku enters the Sacred Land of Korin searching for his Grandpa Gohan's Four-Star Ball, he soon discovers that the ball is held by the native inhabitants, Bora and Upa. Gratefully, Bora gives the ball to Goku and tells him of the legend of the colossal tower, so high that not even airplanes can reach the top; if a person manages to climb to the top and drink the "Sacred Water" held by Korin, the Master of Combat, their strength and speed will be tremendously increased. Learning of their defeat, the Red Ribbon sends the hired assassin Mercenary Tao, who easily overpowers Goku and nearly kills him, if not for the Dragon Ball hidden in his clothing. After coming to, Goku realizes his need to become stronger and begins the ascent, climbing throughout the day and into the night, sleeping with his tail clinging tightly to the handholds. After a day of straight climbing, an exhausted Goku reaches the top and encounters the white cat-immortal, Korin, who is insulted at the boy's disbelief that he is the legendary Master. After reading Goku's mind and finding his intentions pure, Korin tells the boy that he can have the Sacred Water. Goku leaps to grab it, but the cat immediately snatches it away, hooking it to his stick and declaring that the boy can indeed have it — if he can take it. Training Goku Even Goku's superhuman agility is no match for the cat, as he leads Goku on a chase around and around the tower, matching Goku's After Image Technique with his own, eventually becoming bored with the "workout" and calling an end for the day. An exhausted, yet curious Goku asks if anyone has managed to reach the water; the cat responds that the only one who did was Goku's old teacher, Master Roshi, which shocks the boy. He is further shocked when, asking how long it took, Korin responds with three years. The next day, Goku awakes to find Korin dumping "garbage" over the side of the tower, including his Grandpa Gohan's Four-Star Ball. Furious, Goku immediately runs down the tower to retrieve it and climbs it again, while the old cat looks on with satisfaction; what took a day previously has now only taken 3 hours, a sign of the boy's growing strength. After three days of chasing and climbing, a determined Goku finally manages to outmaneuver Korin and take the bottle of Sacred Water from him; after drinking it, however, he doesn't notice any strength increase at all. Korin informs him that it is just tap water; it was Goku's intense exertion that made him much stronger and faster than before. A grateful Goku thanks Korin for the training, and climbs down the tower to face Mercenary Tao again. After Goku tells Mercenary Tao about the Sacred Water, the assassin climbs the tower to get the power for himself. Korin, however, sensed a wicked man like Mercenary Tao and tricked him, by only giving him the "sacred" water without the training, which has no benefits. He then gives Tao a Dark Nimbus, but as soon as Tao reaches the bottom the nimbus makes him fall through it rather than let him fly all the way down on it. King Piccolo released However, Korin does in fact have special water that unleashes the drinker’s inner power, the Ultra Divine Water. However, the water itself is so dangerous that he refuses to let Goku journey to retrieve it until learning that the legendary King Piccolo had been released — tasting a single drop of the Ultra Divine Water nearly kills Yajirobe, sending him into spasms of agony. After a grueling trek and overcoming numerous obstacles (in anime only), Goku reaches the Ultra Divine Water and drinks deeply, sending him into agony as well, but also giving him the power needed to defeat King Piccolo. After King Piccolo is defeated, Yajirobe brings Goku to the tower to heal his wounds. Goku tells Korin that Shenron was killed by King Piccolo and there is no way to revive all the people that were killed. Korin tells Goku about the guardian of earth who is the creator of the dragon balls. Korin tells Goku to use his power pole to get to Kami's temple way above Korin's tower. In addition to this, Korin is the only one who grows the Senzu Beans which heal wounds and are equivalent to eating ten days worth of food. Dragon Ball Z In Dragon Ball Z he shows up from time to time, giving a Senzu Bean to Goku when he is revived, and training the Z Warriors. Yajirobe eventually ends up living with him in the tower. Dragon Ball GT Korin makes a cameo appearance in Dragon Ball GT, in episode 40, "Piccolo's Decision" and is seen in one of the flashbacks in the final episode of Dragon Ball GT, "Until We Meet Again".